DUSHANBE, October 3, 2010, Asia-Plus — According to the preliminary data, today’s blast in Khujand has been committed by supporters of those suspected of having killed Homidjon Karimov, former bazaar director in Isfara district.
An official statement released by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) says the blast occurred at around 8:00 am, when two cars of the Sughd regional body empowered to combat organized crime were entering the body’s territory after the investigatory experiment. “Suddenly, a sedan Volga entered the territory at high speed and ran into one of the cars and blew up,” the statement said.
According to Tajik law enforcement authorities, the terrorist act was aimed at impeding investigation into murder of Homidjon Karimov, who was closely connected with criminal circles.
Five persons have been arrested on suspicion of having been involved in killing of Homidjon Karimov and their supporters tried to arrange a crush-out for them or to impede the investigation, the statement said, noting that persons involved in the blast probably have contacts with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU).
We will recall that former bazaar director Homidjon Karimov was shot to death on August 30. According to unofficial sources, Homidjon Karimov, who was serving the remainder of his sentence in the open-prison settlement, visited his uncle in the Surkh Jamoat on August 30 for iftor (the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan).
When Karimov was leaving his uncle’s house, a car came up to the house and unidentified gunmen shot Karimov to death from assault rifle Kalashnikov and Makarov pistol.
Isfara law enforcement authorities say Homidboy Karimov was member of one of criminal groupings that brutally beaten a local resident in May 2006. Five confederates of Karimov were sentenced to prison terms of between 9 and 13 years that time, while Karimov himself managed to flee. He was later detained and sentenced to nine years in prison.
